Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Bay Area Media Ignorance on San Jose's Legal Hail Mary to Steal the Oakland A's and why ToiletGate Will Not Change the Dynamic; Oakland's A's; Analysis

Suppose for a moment that you owned a Nordstom and that your shiny store was at the top of the block. Then imagine some new kid in town wanted to open a Neiman Marcus at the top of the block. Think you'd be concerned?

That's essentially what we're dealing here with the Giants ballpark and the A's proposed move to San Jose. It's an ongoing drama that got traction on Sunday and Monday.

On Sunday, before a sellout crowd, the Oakland Coliseum's toilets got backed up. An ensuing sewage back-up forced players from both the A's and Seattle Mariners to shower upstairs because some of the raw sewage entered the players and mangers clubhouses.

Coincidentally, two days later, (yeah, right), the city of San Jose and Mayor Chuck Reed's ego filed a mostly frivolous lawsuit against the lords of baseball challenging MLB's anti-trust exemption. As if San Jose has a right to steal the A's.

LET US acknowledge the fact that yes, the A's need a new stadium. The existing Coliseum is outdated, old, dank, and lacks the modern-day amenities that are consistent for every existing ballpark in the MLB chain. No one denies that.

But like everything else, there are issues. Lots. San Jose's move is mostly symbolic; it will not change the dynamics the least because, from a strictly legal standpoint, nothing is really unique here except for the fact that Bay Area and national media people were able to write a story about a subject matter that has been around for seemingly, an eternity, but nothing of substance has transpired.

Like it or not, the SF Giants currently possess territorial rights over Santa Clara County, including, of course, San Jose. That may seem very trivial and insignificant but it holds major cachet within baseball and carries mucho weight in the courtroom--we'll get to that later.

Baseball has an anti-trust exemption. It's been around nearly a century and no matter its merits, good or bad, (and there's plenty of bad), it still is the law of the land and it is not likely to be either challenged, much less even heard or, fantasy time, overruled by any court in the very near future beyond 2050.

There's a reason why the current impasse between the A's sights on San Jose, (namely owners John Fisher and Lew Wolff desire to seize Silicon Valley), has been put on the back burner for so long; the Giants unwillingness to allow a new neighbor, (Neiman Marcus), to take shop on top of their still tony edifice, AT&T Park, (Nordstrom). The Giants still have a mortgage on their waterfront palace, not to mention a slew of corporate sponsors and interests that make up the area directly in the A's radar. They're not about to relinquish that territory and bond without a fight and even if the A's and baseball ponied up a fat check, the Giants are dug in. They're not interested in any form of a settlement because over the long term, having the A's in their backyard compromises not just corporate interests but very significant things like, A. broadcasting/cable and TV rights, B. the value of the franchise, C. the direct threat on tickets from a fan base most of whom live and work in the South Bay and the Peninsula, you know, little things like that.

Moreover, the Giants could contend that their baseball palace was built, (privately financed), with the intention that those pesky territorial rights were to be honored. Think MLB owners and Bud Selig don't already acknowledge that and thus, the current stalemate that has been on the back burner for over 4 and a half years. The password is: stuck.

Baseball knows and understands that the A's need new digs. Duh! And here's the dilemma, dilemmas really: Bud Selig, his frat boy friend, Lew Wolff in dire straits in Oakland only Oakland, in spite of doofus leadership within the Jean Quan and city council zoo, has distinct advantages; namely the A's have played their 48 years and will probably play their at least 6-7 more years at at that dank old Coliseum; that Oakland has proposed giving Wolff and company two pieces of large acreage in Jack London Square, (Howard Terminal), or the existing Coliseum North Parking lot site that has infrastructure in place and where a new park could be up and running in less than two years. (The 49ers techno-glitz, at $1.2 Billion bucks and considerable more construction and technological works will take only two years to be built).

When Wolff and Fisher bought the team way back in 2005 they knew the obstacles. They knew that the Coliseum was Raidered. They knew that Mt. Davis was in place. They still bought the franchise and have a made a tidy sum. They made a lot of money at that dump. They made over $23 Million at that dump last year. They pay virtually NO RENT at that dump. They get virtually all the concessions, the food, the parking, at that dump. Is it then, no coincidence, that while Wolff and his yes men consistently complain, moan, groan, and dole out insult after insult at the old joint that they have repeatedly resisted the request that they SELL to a local set of investors that would like to buy the team and keep it in Oakland? Oh heck no, barks Wolff. I wonder why.

I wonder how, in spite of Wolff's repeated and endless piss-on the A's fans in Oakland; his through and complete screw you Eastbay/Oakland! folks and his 4-year and running pursuit of the prom queen called San Jose, that Athletics fans still support him, having been kicked to the curb for countless years. That Wolff and Fisher has alienated an entire city, community, fan base that has supported the team is nothing short of remarkable. And get this, Lew: the A's players themselves have adulation for the fan base. Sure, they get 10,000 on average nights in the old dump but how supportive would you be when the owner of the team continually, consistently, openly tells Oakland/Eastbay fans that he's got two feet out the door once he gets the green light.

Only that is years and decades away, at best. For one, San Jose has no stadium and that takes at least 3 years with ending EIR reports, infrastructure enhancements, political deals settles and, oh, did I forget the lawyers? No matter what, the lawyers need to get paid and they'll be plenty of lawyers here: MLB lawyers, SF Giants lawyers, Oakland/Alameda County lawyers, and yes of course, San Jose lawyers. Didn't I just read that San Jose has had to lay off a multitude of cops and firefighters; that the city has to return several millions of dollars of redevelopment money to the state because the state didn't authorize that very money designated for the new stadium that was intended for the A's? Oops.

Let's all of us get a firm grip here. As of today, the Oakland A's are going nowhere. And at the vest best, they'll be in Oakland for at least 5-6 and possibly 7-8 years. These things take time especially when the lawyers get involved. San Jose's hail Mary legal maneuver, if it even ever gets to court, (and that's years and decades away), was intended to move the meter, to reconfigure the dynamics; basically move the fences in to use a baseball metaphor only time is not on San Jose's side.

Wolff is in his mid 70's. He and his kids and grand kids, I'm assuming, want a new stadium badly, but in Oakland? Not really. I'm convinced that Old Lew, the owner of hotels in the SouthBay and real estate, would rather die before the thought of making a deal in Oakland. Lew is stubborn. Lew never intended a thought about a new stadium in the 510. He can still prick-tease the local press that he tried to work a deal in The Town but those of us who are wise to Lewis Wolff know better. We know, for instance, that his early Oakland offer was a total sham; he knew full well that a ballpark village south of 66th Ave. would never fly; that in order for the sham to have any chance that it would require the dismantlement of several old businesses and require Oakland to induct eminent-domain; yeah, Lew, we're hip to you.

Lew has a problem. So do San Jose boosters and politicians. This late-stage rally is not really a major concern. It would be like the A's are up, 6-1 in the ninth, and the visitors put two on and the umps rule a non-home run when the replay shows clearly the ball went over the fence. So then, the game is played under protest. San Jose is essentially playing this A's dynamic under protest. They're pissed off. They're frustrated. They think they're entitled to the A's, a team, at least some team. And get this, they may be right only the A's are a pipedream and a pipedream at best.

The Giants aren't interested in settlements. Why would they be? And again, they're dug in and a very prominent presence in the owners minds and pocketbooks. It's called cachet and influence. The Giants, indirectly, are Oakland's best advocate. It's the Giants and really, MLB, that are in Oakland's corner. The Giants, for reasons already explained, and MLB, Selig, who are stuck, (remember that word?), because Selig doesn't want, nor can't make a decision on this, because in addition to the Giants issues, also very much believes that Wolff and the A's don't have all the money to know the way to San Jose. That's why this whole issue hasn't been resolved and why it's taken all this time. Gees, and you had to read it from a damn blogger!

A high-top Oakland booster who worked as an executive with the Haas family when they owned the A's told me directly that the "A's have been moving for the past 25 years; Sacramento, Denver, Las Vegas, Portland, San Antonio, ..." And they've played in that dump, the Oakland Coliseum, for the past 48 seasons. And they'll be playing there for many more years.

No matter what San Jose wants; no matter how much our so-called "press" thinks this day-after-toilet-gate lawsuit against baseball has merit and will really advance the story, the fact of the matter is that nothing has been advanced, at least in the practical sense. Except that a whole bunch of lawyers will be billing and that their accountants will be busy.

59 comments:

I read the first few sentences and couldn't read any more. hey buddy, ever heard of SHOPPING MALL. Nordtroms, Macy's, JC Penny's. How many Lucky's are right across the street Safeways. This is about the freedom to compete.

Lew Wolff knew what he was getting into when he bought an MLB team. He knew that the only reason why the San Francisco Giants are not the Tampa Bay Giants today is because the other National League owners voted down the sale to the Florida businessmen who offered former Giants' owner Bob Lurie roughly $20 million more than the group led by Peter Magowan did. He knew how Major League Baseball operates, and the limits of his rights as an owner.

Sure, the A's have won four World Championships to the Giants' two, but since the opening of AT&T Park, there's no question who rules the Bay Area. If you wanted to see a ballgame, you used to have a choice between the Coliseum -- which was more charming than most of the concrete dual-purpose stadiums created in the '60s and '70s -- and Candlestick, the damp, windswept, soulless gray behemoth that visiting teams hated to visit and the home team hated to call home. Now that the neighbors have not only caught up with the Joneses but taken over the mantle as the family to keep up with, Wolff wants to one-up the competition. To belabor the metaphor, Wolff has run up against the homeowner's association. That's Major League Baseball.

While most people would say AT&T, call me crazy, but I would chose the Coliseum. Obviously been to both. I'd rather pay $12 instead of $60+ for decent seats to watch the game. With the convenience of BART and not have to deal with SF traffic. I dont go to ball games to look at a bridge, watch sailboats, or eat grey poopon. BUT, a stadium in San Jose would be great considering the restaurants/night life in down town san jose

Can we stop this uninsightful thought of "well they bought the team knowing that SJ was Giants territory" Because BOTH OWNERSHIP groups bought their teams knowing that a 3/4 vote of the owners could take those rights away. They are NOT set in store.

According to Matier and Ross in today's Chronicle, the sewage backup was due to "something" (they didn't say what) stuffed into the pipes causing the problem. So it wasn't old pipes but a deliberate act to cause a problem. Could this in any way be related to San Jose filing their claim 2 days later? hmmmmmm

And here I thought I was getting into "conspiracy theory" mode when that crossed my mind! Sam Liccardo's remark, "Nothing says do you know the way to San Jose like backed up sewage in the locker rooms," reenforced my suspicions.

The A's have been owned by developers hoping to leverage the team for a real estate score since the Haas family sold the team.

I still don't buy the "territorial rights" thing. Was it ever explained what the A's received from the Giants for agreeing to the thing? Granted, the Haas's were probably just thinking it would be bad for the Bay Area if the Giants left (instead of their own bottom line).

Can't wait for next year's 50th Anniversary celebration of the Coliseum. Hopefully all three teams will make the playoffs, there will be a "Day on the Green" or three and maybe even an MLS exhibition (Go Oakland Stompers!) And while we're at it, go Oakland Invaders!

Scratch a SJ move, MLB and the giants will submarine any efforts. That leaves moving elsewhere or building a new park in Oakland.

The problem with a new Oakland ballpark is that the idiot politicians aren't savvy enough to develop a park and make a long term deal that's in the best interest of the the east bay tax payers. They'll give away the candy store. Will Wolff sink private money into Oakland? I wouldn't. It's a one way street...Oakland needs the A's, but the A's don't need Oakland.

Las Vegas?

BTW, The Jets and Giants share a stadium & market. What consideration am I overlooking?

Good thing the city of Oakland spent all that money and time on the EIR at Victorty court. Oh that's right, they didn't. Couple other questions. If the blue ribbon committee was so pro Oakland, how come they have never named one site in Oakland as feasible? Howard terminal? Who pays for the cleanup? Who kicks out the businesses? Just a few problems with your theories that Oakland has named a sight.

When were you last in Portland? I was there just a week and a half ago and the city has changed a lot. It's a thriving, bustling city -- and good looking. Malls? Yeah, it has a spectacular mall. Strip malls? Yes, especially out in the 'burbs as so many cities have. Traffic? Sure -- and it's a bitch to drive in at times, but not like Oakland or SF, for that matter.

You need to get out more before you make such stupid comments because you have pulled the hoody for Oakland over your eyes.

Forgive me, I know very little about sports, but didn't New York City have THREE baseball teams at one time. So how can the Giants claim a team in San Jose would be in their territory. There are enough people in the bay area to support teams in the City and south bay.

Yes, the NY Giants (same franchise as SF) & NY Yankees used to share the Polo Grounds in Manhattan and the Dodgers were in Brooklyn. The Yankees moved directly across the Harlem River to Yankee Stadium, when it was built. Later, when the Dodgers & Giants moved out west, the New York Mets first started playing at the Polo Grounds, as well.

San Jose is larger in acreage and population than both San Francisco and Oakland, but MLB and the NFL came to the North Bay first. When it comes to the prestige that sports teams provide, that counts for a lot.

Not many people realize, for example, that while Cleveland and Cincinnati each have long had MLB and NFL franchises, the most populous city in Ohio is now ... (wait for it)... Columbus! Cleveland couldn't hang on to the NHL after the California Golden Seals moved there from Oakland, and Cincinnati lost their NBA franchise to Kansas City (the former Cincinnati Royals are now the Sacramento Kings). But there's only so much cachet that expansion NHL and Major League Soccer teams provide. That's where both Columbus and San Jose exist right now, and with open space being at a premium in the Bay Area, it's likely to remain that way long into the future.

On the professional diamond, the San Rafael Pacifics represent the North Bay. And once upon a time, Rohnert Park had the Redwood Pioneers and Sonoma County Crushers. Good 'ol Minor League baseball!

San Jose's population has grown considerably since MLB (Giants in '58, A's in '68) and "Big League" football (9ers were established in '46 in the AAFC, and the Raiders in '60 in the AFL) arrived in the Bay Area.

Overlooked in your piece is the 2nd Stadium currently under construction across the street from Mineta International Airport for the San Jose Earthquakes, another team Wolff is tied to. It is on the site of the old FMC plant. Drive by the site and the piles of broken concrete and rebar are all thats left of the company that built the Bradley Fighting Vehicle and a score of other military vehicles. The site was built in the 30's and had significant modifications done ( test tracks, bomb shelters in the 50's. Now its Lews latest chapter in local sports infamy. Could this site afford a baseball stadium as well?

Yes, NYC had three baseball teams at one time - and two of them left. NYC alone also has more than 10x the population of SF.

In the NFL, the Jets/Giants do share a stadium and market but you can't share a stadium for 162 regular-season events and force each team to be home when the other is on the road and vice-versa - it's impossible to schedule.

I think the mall analogy is a bit off the mark, considering San Jose is part of the Giants' officially-granted territory. It's more like Nieman Marcus wants to open up their own store INSIDE of a Nordstrom's.

The A's have been trying to crash the Bay Area baseball party for over 40 years. Everybody blames the current state of the Coliseum, but what about when the A's were barely drawing 1,000 each night during the 70s, before the stadium was ruined by Mt. Davis? What was the excuse, then? A game at the Coliseum is much cheaper, the team is competitive and plenty of seats are available - so where are the fans? Do the A's have any more fans than the handful that show up for each game?

Sure, I live in the South Bay (and don't want the A's in my backyard), but I can honestly say I don't know a single A's fan. None, including my friends who live in the East Bay. Maybe I need to get out more, but it's telling that I know more Padres and Indians fans up here than A's fans.

Bottom line: the Giants were here first, have more fans and now have all of the momentum on their side with their recent championships and state-of-the-art ballpark, as well as the aforementioned territorial agreement. The A's, except during the seasons when they were contending for championships, have always played second fiddle. And always will.

You actually are wrong. Though the Giants were in the bay area first, they were the second class team to the A's. The A's outdrew the Giants pretty much every year until they built AT&T Park. If you don't believe me. It is easy to look up on the internet. Also, they didn't draw 1,000 fans in the 70's, that is also something you can easily look up. When the Haas family owned the team, that was some of their best attendance records, but the Haas family also respected the city and the fans as well as put a decent product on the field. Before the Haas family and Ken Hoffman times, Mr. Finley owned the team and he also wasn't a good owner and the team didn't draw well. Owners who upset fans will never have great attendance records. Ask the Maloof's that owned the Sacramento Kings. Better yet ask the owner of the Bengals when their fans outright boycotted the games simply because the ownership was garbage a couple year ago.

As for not knowing a single A's fan is strange. I am from the bay area and now live in southern California and have met a's fans here. As well as in Virgina. So maybe you do need to get out more. I wish you would know what you're talking about before you decided to make such bold statements. OH and if you have never heard of bandwagon fans, then that explains quite a bit.

You see, the Giants who I said we outdrawn by the A's before their current digs were built, didn't have as many fans showing up to their games. Well as I stated, their new stadium helped with increased attendance. But there comes in to play, the band-wagoners. A lot of people that live in the bay area aren't actually from there. They are transplants from else were. They don't have loyalty to either team and often will say they root for both. But they aren't going to go to an old stadium when there's a nicer one right across the bridge. So the stadium it's self has a big reason for attendance.

ie... the Cubs. Do you think most of the fans go to a Cubs game to watch the team who doesn't win or because they play in one of the oldest, most historic stadiums in MLB. They have more fans show up than the White Sox and the Sox have won an world series some 100 years more recently than the Cubs. So in the end. Know what you are talking about. You probably didn't know a Giants fan before 2010.

The pipes at the Oakland Coliseum didn't bust because they were old. They didn't break at all. They leaked because some stuff something down the toilet. The day before San Jose filed a lawsuit that may take the A's away from Oakland.

"Sure, I live in the South Bay (and don't want the A's in my backyard), but I can honestly say I don't know a single A's fan. None, including my friends who live in the East Bay. Maybe I need to get out more, but it's telling that I know more Padres and Indians fans up here"

Try going to Rookies some night. I will introduce you to some A's fans in SJ.As to your claim of the A's trying to crash the Bay Area party, the A's constantly outdrew the Giants in the 80's until the Giants moved to the amusement park that they play baseball in. Long story short, all of this is conjecture because MLB hasn't been forthcoming with all the details with regards to the territorial rights issue.

Would you shut the hell up and let Purdy make his stupid, but knowledgable points? You talk (and shout) all over the guy and the quality of the broadcast is so distorted online you can't even hear it. or listen.

You sounded as "passionate" as Montemayor and Purdy had a lot more comments -- right or wrong. Man. Sounds like he knows Lew pretty well. How about you or are you speculating again?

Well, espn,s legal analyst says San Jose's lawsuit appears to be strong, and MLB would be wise to settle the case before it get to Court. I believe this writer is impartial unlike Rich and most of the posters here. http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9403225/the-san-jose-legal-case-oakland-strong

I don't see how Santa Clara County can be deemed Giants territory and Oakland isn't. Who is closer? Finley moved the franchise from KC to Oakland. The Giants never claimed rights back then. Now your neighbor business for the last forty years operating 6 blocks from you wants to move 50 blocks and that is a no no. I don't think MLB will ultimately contest the move or allow a court fight for fear that major surgery will occur with the Anti Trust exemption when a judge takes a complete look at the territorial claim..

I am tired of the dolts in San Francisco and Oakland whining about the A's. The South Bay does not want to steal the A's. We just want a major league and can support it. The South Bay is the economic center of the Bay Area and has the demographics, income and corporate sponsers to support a team. The A's gave the "territorial rights", whatever that is, to the South Bay when they wanted to move down here. They had their chance and did not do it. Quit your whining Giants. It is pathetic. So Cal supports 3 teams. So can Nor Cal.

Since 2006, here is how the Padres have ranked in the *16 team NL in attendance: 14th, 11th, 11th, 12th, 12th, 9th, and 8th. And that is in a town with great weather, a new stadium, and population of over 1,322,000.

*The NL is now down to 15, with the Houston's transfer to the AL this season.

I hear what everbody is saying on this blog but there is only one problem with building a ballpark in Oakland . . .

It will never happen over Lew Wolffs dead body.

He has repeatedly in national, local, publications, radio, mountain tops, other planets, and anywhere else he can find on this planet . . stated he will never build a ball park in Oakland. I repeat . . N E E E E E V E R!!

Myself, I think he is a fool to pass up Howard Terminal which could rival AT & T and even host many All Star Games for years to come. But he is not a rational owner, he is a developer from Los Angeles.

Could give a rats &*^%^& about the East Bay.

Ahhh heck, quote me:

"The A's ownership group is the wosrt in all professional sports"(Yes, including the Marlins)

The Local Government in San Jose learned how you get what you want from the Local Government in Santa Clara...With Shenanigans, Closed Door Deal, using our Local Stupid A$$ Media as their mouth piece, and by using underhanded dishonest tactics to get their way.

Remember the Lights going out at the Stick, for the 1st time in the stadiums history during a MNF game, and ESPN taking to the airwaves to talk shit about Candlestick???

Page forward, with a Sewage Backup at the Oakland Stadium, and ESPN do the same thing, then comes the Lawsuit by San Jose! I believe it was all orchestrated, just like the lights out at Candlestick, which I believe was done by a York employee.

But our So Called Local media is so in the hip pockets of our Professional Sports Teams that you, the taxpayer can not get the truth. Most notable, Mark Purdy, the Hack.

Okay, here is my take on this mess. I think that the tarps on the upper decks are dangerous for the fans. Bird poop can carry a number of diseases and cause allergies, and the tarps are just loaded with birds daily. Generally, cleaning does not remove these microbes; even daily cleaning would limit but not end exposure. Would anyone sit near a collection of bird poop or microbes? I think not. This is the same issue with bring your dog to the park day. The game is 3 hours or so; where do the dogs go? Is exposure to so many dogs really save for humans or pets? How about kids? Those with allergies that have to work at the Coliseum?

Secondly, the plumbing is obviously based on having folks up in the third deck. I don't doubt that the gravitational force from these flushes helps clear out the bottom plumbing pipes. With less push from above, more pumping is needed that may not be readily available since it was not needed before. (I live in a hill area myself).

Who gives a flying fig about a team who's owner could care less about putting a winning team on the field! All Lou Wolff cares about is money. Remember, when you're rooting for the A's, you're not rooting for those players, or the manager, or even Billy Beane, because they could all be gone tomorrow.

You're certainly not rooting for Oakland because that organization, as run by Lou Wolff has made it clear he doesn't give a damn about the east bay. You're rooting for a rich, egotistical owner who unfortunately, will probably own the team for awhile longer.